Trichomoniasis

Trichomoniasis (Trich) is a highly-contagious venereal disease in cattle carried by a bull and transmitted to a cow during breeding. It causes pregnancy loss or abortion in the cow, prolonged calving intervals and high open rates in infected herds, which costs livestock owners valuable income.

Effective May 2016, the Kansas Division of Animal health published a final regulation regarding Trich in cattle. This ruling addresses the change of ownership of bulls within Kansas and import requirements for bulls, cows and heifers.

Bulls

Bulls that change ownership or possession within Kansas must meet one of the following criteria:

Non-virgin bulls or bulls greater than 18 months of age must either:

Be tested for Trichomoniasis by a Trich-certified veterinarian and certifiednegative within 60 days prior to change of ownership or possession, with nosubsequent exposure to female cattle, OR

Be sold for slaughter only, or sold for feeding for slaughter purposes.

Virgin bulls 18 months of age or younger may change ownership or possession without a negative trich test if the owner signs the Kansas Bull Status Affidavit verifying the bulls have not been sexually exposed to breeding-aged females.

Virgin bulls 24 months of age or younger that originate from a herd with a herd management plan approved by the animal health commissioner shall not be required to be tested for Trich and certified negative prior to changing possession or ownership.

Cows and Heifers

Cows and heifers moving into Kansas must meet one of the following criteria or move into an approved Kansas livestock market and then meet one of the following criteria:

Move for slaughter or feeding purposes only with no bull exposure after entering Kansas

Have a calf at side and no exposure since parturition to bulls other than certified negative Tritrichomonas foetus bulls

Are at least 120 days pregnant

Are virgin heifers with no sexual exposure to bulls since weaning

Have had at least 120 days of sexual isolation

Are heifers or cows exposed only to certified negative Tritrichomonas foetus bulls

Are moving for embryo transfer or other artificial reproduction procedure with no exposure to bulls after entering Kansas